OK you got yours ... now where's ours?

[Pickett Wilson]

A 5D is not a big camera. Not as small as an OM, of course, but fits my hand much better. I have to add a winder to the OM before I can handle it comfortably.

 

[Kin Lau]

By Film SLR, you must be referring to the monster Nikon F5, not an OM-1 or a Nikon FM or a Pentax MX.

Most film SLR's made in the last 20 years.

My 350D is only a bit larger than my OM1. Put the MD1 on the OM1, and my 350D is _smaller_ and _lighter_.

BTW, I have an OM1 and Pentax MX and Nikon FG (same size as FM), and Canon 20D, 350D, 1D & 1Ds. Only the last two are monsters. My 20D which is larger than the 350D, is still smaller than _many_ of my film cameras, including some of the 70's full-size RF's.

 

[gnarayan]

A 5D is not a big camera. Not as small as an OM, of course, but fits my hand much better. I have to add a winder to the OM before I can handle it comfortably.

A 5D remains one of the largest DSLRs without an integrated vertical grip so I'm not sure what you are comparing it to when you describe it as not big.

You get a choice with the OM - you can remove the OM winder if you want it smaller. I have a winder 2 and don't use it because it just adds bulk for me. I can't make the 5D smaller than it is.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

By Film SLR, you must be referring to the monster Nikon F5, not an OM-1 or a Nikon FM or a Pentax MX.

Well, the D700 is larger but not dramatically so than a "standard" film camera.

D700 sizes: 147x123x77, weight almost 1 Kg,
F3 sizes: 148x101x69, weight 760g,

so the two have the same width, the D700 is 2cm taller and marginally thicker (but the real thickness is given by the lens). Not too bad I would say...

GLF

 

[AJShepherd]

Maybe now that Leica have shown that it is possible to make a full frame digital camera the same size (roughly) as a 35mm film camera, Olympus could continue their retro theme and produce the OM-D. Give it the same lens mount as the OM, and give it the same BIG VIEWFINDER, and they'd make a lot of people very happy.

 

[snausages]

I'm not sure what the aesthetic of it will be (probably more Canon Rebel than OM1) or the functionality (hard to imagine Canon or Nikon ditching AF), but I do think that digital photography is trending toward a FF camera in a compact 35mm SLR body, roughly the size of a 70's Olympus.

A $2500 FF camera the size of an OM1 would, I think, kill the M9. And I could see that happening within 2-3 years.

And I love motion video capture. Don't see why the option to make movies inhibits still photography. Just seems like a natural extension of the photographic/documentary experience.

 

[wgerrard]

We want the equvilant of a FF Digital Om-1 or Nikon FM with NO frills.

I'd love that, too But don't hold your breath. After all, no one had produce an analog SLR follow-up modeled on the OM line in 25 years, including Olympus.

The best thing the Micro 4/3 concept can do is sell enough cameras to convince the DSLR makers that some people really don't want to lug around cameras as big as double toasters.

As Roger suggested elsewhere, the full frame notion has relevance for folks with a batch of M-mount lenses they want to keep using. That's a lot of people within this small market. But, I'd be satisfied with a steady progression to bigger and better sensors. I don't expect to see one of those sensors in Keith's digital Son of OM DSLR. But, I would not be surprised to see significantly larger sensors housed in non-mirror bodies very similar to Micro 4/3 bodies. Of course, better EVF's would be nice, too.

 

[oscroft]

Well, after years of waiting for them to get good/cheap enough, I finally got my first proper digital camera recently (the one I already had that was so poor I only used it for taking pictures of things to sell on eBay doesn't count). I got a 5DII. It's certainly good enough (though perhaps not cheap - but I'd had an unexpected windfall).

It's not small, certainly not compared to my OMs, but I'm very surprised how much easier it is to handle than I'd guessed by looking at it - even though I have small hands, it fits quite well.

And changing the important settings is quick and easy. ISO is changed on the top LCD - press a button (helpfully labeled "iso") and then change the setting using the finger wheel that's just behind the shutter release.

Changing speed or aperture is similarly easy, In Av or Tv mode, the same finger-wheel changes the aperture or the shutter speed respectively. And in manual metering mode, the finger wheel changes the aperture while the thumb-operated dial on the back changes the shutter speed - there are no two-finger contortions or menus needed.

And in auto exposure modes, the thumb-wheel on the back sets exposure compensation, which is visible on the top LCD and in the viewfinder - a feature I accidentally discovered only yesterday.

So really, there are no menus required for actual shooting, which I was very pleasantly surprised by.

Also, I got a cheap adapter from Hong Kong and I can fit all my old Zuiko lenses on it. Set in Av more, the meter even works fine - I just need to focus wide open and stop down to meter and shoot. (You can't use Tv or P modes, as those need to be able to set the aperture).

And, there are none of those daft exposure modes with pictures of athletes, mountains and flowers - it assumes you know how to get what you want from the traditional modes.

OK, I'd love a small metal digital SLR with all the controls in the traditional places - in fact, an OM4 with a digital sensor and an LCD on the back to be able to view histograms (which really provide a great tool for judging exposure) would be close to heaven. But this big black magnesium alloy and plastic beast really is quite nice 🙂

 

[oldoc]

Yes, but for many, it not the dimensions. It's the weight. 1 kg before putting on one of those big, hairy zooms, to say nothing of the weight of kit in the bag is the concern.
A heavy bag is what got me knee surgery, and converted me to rangefinders: unfortunate misunderstanding with the rocks on the coast of Maine with a Mamiya 645 and 3 lenses in the bag!

 

[abo_1970]

I care less about the weight than about the size. So if dreams could come true I would go for a digital Pentax LX and Yashica GSN...😀

 

[shadowfox]

...
I also don't want a sh!tty litle micro 4/3 with a crop factor of two or so that produces images that can't really seem to decide whether they are square, landscape, or somewhere in between.
🙂

Keith, calm down.

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

I've just been looking at some prints made in 2004, with my first digital camera - an Olympus C8080. A 8mp fixed lens 'bridge' camera, with solid, heavy magnesium body, and reasonably good EVF, it felt more like cameras used to, and would record in two or three JPEG modes, TIFF and RAW, which is more than todays offerings!.
It cost a lot more than the present crop of compact and bridge cameras, but DSLR prices had not dropped to todays level, and more to the point, it gave damn good results. I'm now kicking myself for parting!:bang:.......wonder if anyone still uses one?.
Dave.

 

[Prosaic™]

I also don't want a sh!tty litle micro 4/3 with a crop factor of two or so that produces images that can't really seem to decide whether they are square, landscape, or somewhere in between.

Right on! 😀

 

[oscroft]

Yes, but for many, it not the dimensions. It's the weight

My 5DII with a prime (the only prime I currently have is the 50/1.4 - apart from my Zuiko lenses, with adapter) really isn't too heavy at all - I can sling it over my shoulder almost as conveniently as my OM SLRs or my Leica Ms.

Sure, with big zooms on the things get heavy, but that's not a factor of the camera itself - if you don't want the weight of a big zoom, don't use a big zoom.

Cheers,

 

[venchka]

Mirror up first

Mirror up first

...

I did finally manage to get my Hasselblad system together and I'm ready to take photos ... that thing makes some sound when you press the shutter! 😱 😀

Keith,

Glad to hear your Hasselblad kit has all come together. Have you found the mirror lock up switch? It's the small black bit below the film wind knob on the camera body. Move it up and the mirror slams in the up position. Then trip the shutter. Did you hear it? Did you feel it? Nice, hey? 🙂

Good luck!

 

[Keith]

Keith,

Glad to hear your Hasselblad kit has all come together. Have you found the mirror lock up switch? It's the small black bit below the film wind knob on the camera body. Move it up and the mirror slams in the up position. Then trip the shutter. Did you hear it? Did you feel it? Nice, hey? 🙂

Good luck!

About that mirror lock up ... I really like the way that when you hold the camera in your left hand with your index finger over the shutter release as Hasselblad recommend, your middle finger is poised over the mirror lock up button. I would imagine that with a little practice locking up the mirror manually just before you fire the shutter is not so hard. Very clever ergonomics IMO! 🙂

 

[Keith]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith
...
I also don't want a sh!tty litle micro 4/3 with a crop factor of two or so that produces images that can't really seem to decide whether they are square, landscape, or somewhere in between.

Keith, calm down.

Sorry Wil ... obviously you have one of those funny cameras ... I never realised sorry ... I picked you to be more sensible! 😀

 

[shadowfox]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith
...
I also don't want a sh!tty litle micro 4/3 with a crop factor of two or so that produces images that can't really seem to decide whether they are square, landscape, or somewhere in between.

Sorry Wil ... obviously you have one of those funny cameras ... I never realised sorry ... I picked you to be more sensible! 😀

No problem, I don't have those new "funny" cameras, I have a really good DSLR called E-620. And it stands up pretty darn well next to it's old uncle:

😎

 

[Dave Wilkinson]

No problem, I don't have those new "funny" cameras, I have a really good DSLR called E-620. And it stands up pretty darn well next to it's old uncle:

😎

....for IQ -it will probably kick it's old uncle's ass!😀

 

[amateriat]

I've just been looking at some prints made in 2004, with my first digital camera - an Olympus C8080. A 8mp fixed lens 'bridge' camera, with solid, heavy magnesium body, and reasonably good EVF, it felt more like cameras used to, and would record in two or three JPEG modes, TIFF and RAW, which is more than todays offerings!.
It cost a lot more than the present crop of compact and bridge cameras, but DSLR prices had not dropped to todays level, and more to the point, it gave damn good results. I'm now kicking myself for parting!:bang:.......wonder if anyone still uses one?.
Dave.

That's my current "main" digicam, Dave. Other than a slow-ish buffer, it holds its own rather well, and I like how it handles. I even shot a few recent gigs with it.

- Barrett